Sam Simkowski

Plant Steam vs. Culinary Steam vs. Pure Steam: What Food Manufacturers Need to Know

Steam is used in food processing for a variety of reasons from preparing product to cleaning equipment. Common uses of steam in food and beverage facilities include:

Blanching product

Rehydrating product

Sterilizing equipment

Steam-in-Place (SIP) to clean pipes

But not all steam is created equal — and there are new developments in steam technology happening all the time. In this post we’ll look at the types of steam used in food processing as well as one innovation known as dry steam.

Hydrovey Systems: 4 Things You Need to Know to Ensure Food Safety

Any time you transport product from one stage of processing to another, you introduce the possibility of food safety risks. There are a variety of ways to move your product from receiving to packaging, but how do you minimize the opportunity for outside contamination during the steps between?

Hydrovey systems are a popular option, particularly in facilities that produce canned goods. This semi-closed-loop system transports product through piping using a stream of water and can be a safer alternative to conveyor belts. I’ve designed hydrovey systems and have seen them used in the production of several food products, including fruit, corn and beans.

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